Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to preparing polymers containing in the polymeric structure a residue of an optically active compound which residue can be removed from the resultant polymer whereby to provide polymers which in their physical structure have a void or cavity corresponding to the size and shape of the optically active residue removed therefrom. The polymers containing functional groups in a definite three-dimensional arrangement externally at their boundary surface are in cavities.
Such polymers can be used in the shape and size selective absorption of optically active antipodes and in specific interactions through the functional groups with those of the optically active antipodes, i.e., in the racemization of racemates into their optically active forms. This invention is also directed to the use of such new polymeric forms containing a void of size and shape corresponding to an optically active chemical compound for the racemization of racemates. This invention also includes polymers prepared with the use of a polyfunctional, achiral matrix molecule, that can be removed from the polymer, whereby to provide polymers containing functional groups in a definite three dimensional arrangement in cavities. They can be used in specific adsorption and interaction with molecules, whose residues and functional groups correspond to the size and shape of the void and to the functional groups therein. In this way it is possible to achieve separations of otherwise difficultly separable mixtures. The present invention can be considered to be directed to a method of preparing polymers which polymers can be considered to be analogous to enzymes.